NJ puts hold on marijuana cases
TRENTON » New Jersey’s attorney general has announced an immediate hold of all marijuana cases in municipal courts statewide until at least September.
The decision was included in a letter state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal sent Tuesday to municipal prosecutors in the state. It asked them to seek an adjournment until Sept. 4 — or later — of any matter “involving a marijuanarelated offense pending in municipal court,” a move that will allow the attorney general’s office time to develop “appropriate guidance” for prosecutors.
Grewal is an appointee of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is pushing for legalized possession of recreational marijuana. Murphy has said he backs legalization as a “social justice” issue and rejects critics’ claims that he’s eager only for new revenue for the cashstrapped budget.
Murphy last month endorsed federal legislation that would stop the federal government from enforcing anti-marijuana laws in states that have legalized the drug, and has been pushing for legalization to occur within New Jersey by year’s end. Nine
states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana.
Local marijuana activist Ed “NJWeedman” Forchion argued that the efforts were a good step but too little and too late, calling the move “huge, but what took so long and why not just order no more arrests?”
“Legalization is on the horizon but I want people to understand and know this isn’t what we’ve been asking for decades. True legalization is being stolen by the politicians and really it is regulation.” Forchion said in a statement emailed to The Trentonian.
“While I have been a staunch advocate of legalization I want to steadfastly, loudly demand that Gov. Murphy VETO Senator Scutari’s bill because it doesn’t actually legalize marijuana but instead creates and regulates an all white Cannabis Industry, a racist system.”
Forchion went on to say, “real legalization would be making it legal for all to grow, sell and distribute marijuana not just the political connected white guys. I openly recommend persons of color don’t cater to these Caucasian Cannabis Corporations (CCCs) and to #BOYCOTTCCCs.”